A process for reducing the licensing burden for new products containing depleted uranium.

Ranek, N. L. ; Kamboj, S. ; Hartmann, H. M. ; Avci, H.

Argonne National Laboratory

关键词: Regulatory Guides;    Depleted Uranium;    Radioisotopes;    Ornl;    11 Nuclear Fuel Cycle And Fuel Materials;   

DOI  :  10.2172/821072
RP-ID  :  ANL/EAD/TM/03-01
RP-ID  :  W-31-109-ENG-38
RP-ID  :  821072

美国|英语

来源: UNT Digital Library

【 摘 要 】

This report is intended to provide guidance on the process for petitioning the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) to initiate a rulemaking that could reduce the licensing burden for new products containing depleted uranium (DU), which are being investigated by the DU Uses Research and Development (R&D) Program at Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL). The focus is on requirements of the NRC rulemaking process applicable to establishing new exemptions or general licenses for products and devices containing source material. NRC policies and guidance regarding such requirements are described, including a 1965 policy statement on approval of new exemptions for products containing radionuclides (''Federal Register'', Volume 30, page 3462 [30 FR 3462]; March 16, 1965) and Regulatory Guide 6.7, which addresses the contents of environmental reports that support rulemaking petitions seeking exemptions for radionuclide-containing products. Methodologies for calculating radiological and nonradiological impacts on human health (i.e., risks) associated with distributing, using, and disposing of DU-containing products are presented. Also, methodologies for completing assessments of the potential effects of accidents involving new DU-containing products and of product misuse are described. The report recommends that the U.S. Department of Energy formulate a regulatory plan for deployment of DU-containing products in areas that are not already radiologically controlled. Such a plan is needed because deployment of new DU-containing products may be difficult under existing NRC licensing requirements. To provide a basis for the regulatory plan, it is recommended that detailed assessments of the radiological and nonradiological risks of distributing, using, and disposing of DU-containing products be conducted. Such assessments should be initiated as soon as sufficient data are available from the ongoing DU Uses R&D Program at ORNL to support the analyses.